Vows and Blood
by doctor anthony
Summary: 3x11 AU. Thea overhears Roy and Malcolm talk about her killing Sara. What follows changes everything.


**Vows and Blood**

**Authors notes I don't own Arrow. If I did things would be different in season 3.**

**This is set after 3x11 only difference is Oliver is truly dead.**

**I've had this plot idea in my head ever since I saw The Climb.**

**I also want to thank several authors for helping me this story by proofing reading it so thanks.**

**2049 unknown location**

A woman looked at the side of the mountain and looked up as he took the two pick axes in her hands and began the long climb up the mountain to face a man she vowed 35 years ago to the day she would kill.

She was going to keep that promise. After all this man she was going to fight, killed her brother, Oliver Queen.

Simply put, Thea Queen wanted vengeance.

As she climbed Thea remembered how she learned of her brother's death so long ago like it only happened yesterday.

**Flashback Starling City 35 years ago**

Thea heard raised voices from her bedroom, she knew who the people arguing were, her father and Roy.

She wondered why Roy was arguing with her father and then heard him call her father poison.

What he said next made her stop before she opened the door.

Roy said "You put her is Ras Al Ghul's crosshairs. You had her kill Sarah."

Her father said "Thea knows nothing about Sarah and she never will."

Thea was in shock and listened as Roy said "That's where you're wrong. I know her. She will learn the truth and when she does. You will lose her forever. Trust me, I know from experience."

Malcolm was unfazed by this and said "This is a family matter Mr Harper. You're not family. Now get out."

She heard the door close and was still shocked at what she learned and knew she needed answers.

Thea knew the best place to get them. From Roy himself.

A few hours later Thea was at Club Verdant waiting for Roy to show up and saw him emerge from the back door to the basement.

Wasting no time she walked over to him and asked "What did you mean when you said my father made me kill Sarah?"

Roy was shocked and tried to avoid the question by saying "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Thea angrily said "Don't bullshit me Roy. Tell me what you know now?"

Roy simply said "Follow me."

He led her to backdoor and opened it for her as they headed downstairs, Thea saw Oliver's bodyguard John Diggle and his former secretary Felicity Smoak were down there and once she saw the green leather suit, everything clicked into place.

Oliver is The Arrow.

Diggle said "Roy what is going on? Why is Thea here?"

Thea quickly before Roy could, she said "I'm here Mr Diggle, to find out why my father had me kill Sarah. I heard him and Roy arguing and mention that I killed Sara and he put me in the crosshairs of someone named Ras Al Ghul. Now I want some answers!"

Felicity said "I'll give you those answers."

Diggle knew what Felicity was about to do and said "Maybe you shouldn't. After all Oliver didn't want Thea to know about any of this."

Felicity said angrily "Oliver is dead. Besides she has a right to know the truth."

Thea in shock asked "What? How did he die?"

Roy answered "Malcolm Merlyn showed Oliver footage of you killing Sarah. He told Oliver that he used a plant which makes you very suggestible and leaves you with no memory of what you done while under it's effects. He told Oliver that Ras would learn you were the killer unless he told Ras he did it and challenge him to a fight."

Felicity put up the footage taken from the surveillance cameras of the meeting between Oliver and Malcolm that took place in the club.

As Thea watched the footage her anger increased, she had been used like a pawn by the one person she thought was honest to her in his sick version of a chess game against this Ras Al Ghul, to her father Oliver was just another pawn he sacrificed to achieve victory.

Once the conversation between Malcolm and Oliver ended on the screen, Thea said "Oliver gave his life to save me. The man who gave him no other option but to die in my place is still alive. If he is so terrified of this Ras Al Ghul, let's bring him to this man and see him get what he deserves."

"What are you thinking?" Diggle asked.

Thea answered "My father won't be expecting any of you to go against him. We take him down tonight. It'll catch him off guard."

Roy nodded and said "He won't see it coming. Even if he does. Last thing he'd expect is you going against him."

No one else said much as the plan for that night was finalised.

Later that night Thea was in her apartment looking out the window as she heard the door open. Thea turned around and she saw her father enter the apartment.

Malcolm looked around and asked "I don't see any suitcases? Do you have everything packed? The plane will be taking off in an hour."

Thea shook her head and before her father could utter a single word, she spoke "I heard you and Roy arguing earlier. I know you used me to murder Sarah in cold blood. You gave Oliver no choice but to die in my place! You are pure evil! Why did you do it?"

Her father ignored the question simply asked Thea "What are you going to do now that you know the truth. If Ras Al Ghul learns the truth, he'll kill you anyway just for firing the arrows at Sarah?"

Thea's answer was to take a syringe out of her hand and quickly inject it into Malcolm before he could react.

Once she did Thea stepped back and defended herself as her dad went on the attack.

However at that same moment the window was smashed and Roy came in with his bow drawn and aimed at Malcolm's back.

Malcolm at this moment noticed he was getting tired and knew what Thea had injected him with, a sedative.

'Clever, Thea, very clever.' Malcolm thought to himself before he passed out.

Thea immediately grabbed a knife from the kitchen and had Roy hold out her father's tongue. The only way to ensure the truth behind her killing Sarah remained a secret was to cut out Malcolm Merlyn's tongue.

Once that was done, Roy looked at Thea and said "Felicity has the van outside."

Thea opened the door as Diggle entered to help Roy bring Malcolm to the van, but not before they bound his hands behind his back first.

Thea followed them to the van, none of them saying a word along the way.

Once everyone was in the van, they drove to the Starling City cemetery and as Diggle decided to take a look around in case someone was already there, he saw someone was already at Sarah Lance's grave, it was Nyssa Al Ghul.

Diggle said "Nyssa."

As the heir to the demon turned to face him, Diggle said "If you want Malcom Merlyn. Follow me."

Nyssa warned "You better not be tricking me. How did you know I was here?"

Diggle answered "It makes sense you'd visit her grave. You loved her."

Nyssa followed Diggle to the van and smiled when she saw Malcolm Merlyn was in the van, out cold and tied up.

Thea said "If you want Merlyn you have to do something for me?"

Nyssa asked "What do you want?"

Thea replied "I want a face to face meeting with your father."

Nyssa said "You can have meeting tonight. I can take you to him right now."

Felicity immediately said "She isn't going alone."

Nyssa nodded said "Very well. All of you can come as well."

**End of flashback**

**2049 unknown location**

Thea stopped for a moment and saw that she was halfway up the mountain and couldn't help but wonder Oliver had thought of as he made this very same climb to fight Ras Al Ghul.

'Did he think about me? Did he go into this fight with doubts of victory? Or was he ready to die for me?' Thea thought to herself.

She found herself thinking of Roy, and their children, her sons and daughter cried when she left and Roy simply told her that he loved her with all his heart.

Once that thought was gone from her head Thea was determined to win, to avenge Oliver and go back home to her children and her husband.

She then thought back to the meeting with Ras Al Ghul when Malcolm Merlyn was handed over to the League of Assassins.

**Flashback Nanda Parbat 35 years ago**

Nyssa led Team Arrow into the building as Malcolm Merlyn was still out cold and being dragged by two members of the league.

They entered a large room and saw a man in the centre of the room with his back turned to them and members of the League were stationed around the room watching Team Arrow with every step they took.

Nyssa knelt before the man said "I have brought back Malcolm Merlyn father. His daughter and friends of Oliver Queen handed him over. In return that Merlyn's daughter gets a face to face meeting with you."

Ras Al Ghul turned around and said to Thea "You wish to talk to me. Why?"

Thea answered "You killed my brother. You were led to believe Oliver killed Sara. He didn't. Malcolm Merlyn did. In order to get Oliver to take the blame, he threatened to have me killed by men loyal to him."

Ras was silent for a few moments before he said "What do you want for bringing us Malcolm Merlyn?"

Thea answered "First I want my brother's body returned to me for burial. Second I want a fight against you, to be at a time of my choosing."

Roy in shock asked "Thea what are you doing?"

Thea without looking at Roy replied "Avenging my brother's death."

Ras said "You have a deal, Miss Merlyn."

Malcolm suddenly woke up and froze in fear when he saw Ras Al Ghul standing in the same room as him.

Ras said "Malcolm Merlyn. You have lived longer than you should. For your crimes I sentence you to death. Any last words?"

Merlyn didn't say a word as Ras took out his sword and stabbed Malcolm through the heart, killing him instantly.

Ras then asked Thea "When do you want this fight between us to take place?"

Thea answered "35 Years from now. On this very day. Leave a message for me at Sarah Lance's grave in Starling City the day before to tell me where the fight will be."

Ras nodded and with that Thea and Team Arrow left.

Nyssa looked to her father and said "I will inform Sara's father that her murder has been avenged. It's time he learned the truth."

Ras said "Bring him Merlyn's head to show justice was swift. How did he react when you told him Sara was dead?"

Nyssa asked "How would you react if you learned Merlyn murdered me in cold blood and not Sara?"

Ras didn't say a word and knew he had his earlier question answered.

**End of flashback**

**2049 unknown location**

Thea kept on climbing and saw the top just ahead of her. 'Almost there.' Thea thought 'Almost there.'

Thea then started to think back to the last 35 years, after she and the others got back to Starling, they held a private funeral for Oliver with the cover story being that Oliver died in a car crash.

Over the next few months as Team Arrow became overwhelmed with rising crimes rates thanks to the disappearance of the Arrow, Thea became the new Arrow and helped the rest of Team Arrow save Starling City from it's criminal element.

She ended up getting back together with Roy and marrying him 5 years after Oliver's death and had 2 sons, named Oliver and Robert and a daughter named Moira. Thea also ended up getting back Queen Consolidated from Ray Palmer after she found out about the A.T.O.M suit he was making and blackmailed him with threats to tell the board unless he gave the company in return for the suit.

Before she left for this fight with Ras Al Ghul, Roy told her if she did not come back. He would go to Nanda Parbat and demand a fight with Ras. Thea quickly shot that idea down. Making it clear to her husband that their children can't lose both parents.

Roy agreed with her and wished her the best of luck.

Finally Thea made it to the top of the mountain and saw Ras Al Ghul standing nearby looking at the weather as two members of the league stood nearby.

One of the league members said "Remove your jacket and shirt. It's tradition."

Thea did so as Ras said "I've heard you've killed a lot of criminals since taking your brothers place as the protector of your city. You even killed Slade Wilson. A man who meant to do harm to your family. I killed my first man when I was only 11 years old. He sought to kill me and destroy my family."

Thea went over to a row of swords and picked one as Ras said "Since that day, I have killed thousands and made the world a better place. Just like you have made Starling City better by killing those who seek to destroy it."

Thea said "You will die for killing my brother."

Ras smirked as he grabbed a sword and said "When I kill you. I will send your body back to your family."

With that the fight began as both fighters clashed swords.

**The end**

**Authors notes well that's the end of this one-shot let me know what you think of it. Read and review. No flames though ok.**

**For those of you who are no doubt wondering about the ending. I left it ambiguous so you, the readers can make up your own minds as to who wins the fight. Thea or Ras it's up to you.**


End file.
